Gift exchange plan device



Aug. 21, 1940. j R 2,212,635

GIFT EXCHANGE PLAN DEVICE v Filed July 28, 1938 INVENTOR JB/m JDeer ATTORNEY PatenteclAug. 27, 1940 l John J. Deer,'New York, N. Y. Application July 28, 1938, Serial, No. 221,861

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a gift exchange plan device.

More specifically, the invention proposes a gift exchange plan device characterized by a container having a slot formed in one side thereof through which a numbered ticket is adapted to be passed.

k Still further it is proposed that-the container be provided with a means permitting it to be mounted upon anarticle to be rallied off at the end of the hour, day, week, or other designated period.

Still further it is proposed that the container have a locked door which may be opened when the tickets are to be removed at the end of the designated period to permit selection of a lucky 'ticket from the deposited tickets for declaring one customer the winner of the article.

Still further it is proposed to provide the container with a novel means for permitting it to be attached to the article which is to be given as a prize.

For further comprehension of the. invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an envelopeinto which a supply of identically numberedtickets are adapted to be placed. I i

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the tickets per se.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container as attached to an article to be given as a prize.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device per se.

Fig, 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on'the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a view looking in the direction of the line l-'! of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectionalview substantially on the line 6--3 of Fig. 4.

r Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an envelope for the numbers, constructed according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of a container 0 constructed according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of still another container embodying another'form of the invention. The gift exchange plan device, according to this invention, consists in the distribution of a supply ii is positioned upon an article it.

' of identically numbered tickets it for one customer and bearing a different number-from the tickets distributed to other customers. The tickets iii are imprinted upon their faces with a number H, as shown in Fig, 2. An envelope i2 is supplied and all of the tickets bearing the same number are positioned within the envelope. :The envelope is imprinted upon its face with a number l 3 identical to the numbers I i imprinted upon the l ning various articles to be rafiled off at the end I of the designated period.

A container M is attached ,to various" articles.

1e container has an opening it through which the tickets maybe deposited, and also has a locked door iii. As shown in Fig. 3 the container A customer after receiving a supply of identically numbered tickets may distribute the tickets within the containers positioned on the various articles At the end of a designated period a ticket is withdrawn from the container positioned on'each article and the number thereon signifies that theperson originally holding the said number'is the winner of the article.

The container M has several labels M and W ,mounted thereon which are adapted to receive writing to identify an article to which the container is attached. The label 14 is intended to bear the name of the article, while the label M is the identification number.

It is proposed that the customer keep the. en-

velope in order to identify himself as the holder of the Winning number.

proposed that the envelopes may be imprinted with numbers corresponding with. the number imprinted on the tickets. The opening i5 has a chute ll extending therearound and attached to the wall of the container around the opening for permitting the tickets to be dropped therein.

This chute ll prevents the customers from looking into the container to determine the number of tickets already deposited therein. 1

The door It is provided with a hinge I8 sup- For this reason it is porting the same upon one edge of the container space between the adjacent edges of the container and door for prying the door open.

'At the end of a designated period, which may be a day, week, or month, the locked door I16 is adapted to be opened for permitting one of the tickets to be removed therefrom for declaring thewin'ner of the article. The number of the ticket withdrawn from the container corresponds with. an envelope bearing the identical number, and the holder of the envelope is the winner of the article upon which the container is positioned.

A means is provided for attaching the container to the said article. This means is so constructed that it may be used for attaching the container to articles having various contours and of different sizes. This means comprises a hollow casing 2| attached upon one side of the container I4 and which is provided with an open side 2| A plurality of gripping elements 22 of different .lengths have one of their ends located within the casing 2|. Each of the gripping elements 22 is formed with oppositely disposed flanges 22 which are adapted to strikeagainst the material of the casing 2| on either side of the opening 2|=- for preventing the gripping elements from being disengaged from the casing 2|. Each of the gripping elements 22 is formed-with a curved outer face'22 for adding to the gripping qualities thereof.

- A means is provided for selectively urging each of the gripping elements 22 into an extended position with relation to the casing 2|. This means comprises a pair of expansion springs 23 "end of the gripping elements 22 for extending the same. a

mounted within the casing 2| and normally operating between the back wall thereof and the inner has one of its ends attached to a pin 25 mounted upon one side of the container 2|.

The section 24' has one of its ends extended through an opening 26 formed in a metallic member 27 attached to the other side of the casing 2| by means of rivets 28. The free end of the section 24 has a buckle 29 mounted thereon and the free end of the section 24 is adapted to be associated with the buckle for holding the container on the article The operation of this device is as follows:

The strap M is opened by disengaging the end of the section 24 from the buckle 29 to permit the strap 24 to be engaged around the article which is to be raified off by means of the tickets distributed to the customers.

After the strap 24 has been passed around the article the end "of the section 24 is re-engaged with respect to the buckle 29 to cause the gripping elements 22 to engage and conform with the side of the article for preventing vertical and lateral movement of the container thereon.

In Fig. 9 an envelope I2 is illustrated which is adapted to hold a plurality of the tickets ID. This envelope l2 has a flap l2 provided with adhesive material I2 A slot i2 is formed in the envelope at the junction of the body portion with the flap. ,A label i2 extends out from the slot l2 and is removably secured in position by reason of having its inner end attached to the adhesive i2 This label l2 is adapted to be imprinted with a number corresponding with the numbers of the tickets in the envelope.

In Fig. 10 another embodiment of the invention has been diSClOSGi'iILWhiCh a cylindrical container 32 is shown, provided with a removable cover 33 and having a slot 33 through which thetickets may be deposited. Labels 35 and 36 are mounted on the side of the container and are adapted to be imprinted or inscribed with the name and number of the article.

In Fig. 11 another modified form of the invention is shown in which the container 32 is provided with an attaching means characterized by a casing 2 attached on. the side of the container and associated with a strap 24 and holding mechanism' similar tothe mechanism disposed within the container 2| shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The strap 24 is provided with a buckle 29. Other parts of the strap and the device which are identical to corresponding parts in the previous forms of the invention are indicated by the same reference numerals.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coma States Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, a hollow casing having one of its sides mounted on a member and its opposite side formed with an opening, a belt having one of its ends attached to one end of said casing and passed in front of said opening and theother of its ends attached to the other end of said casing, said belt being adjustable to engage around articles of different sizes with the open side of said casing immediately adjacent said article, gripping elements slidably mounted within said casing and projecting through said opening, andcompressible means for extending said elements to conform with the contour of said article for preventing vertical and lateral movement of said member on said article.

JOHN J. DEER. 

